Hurricane Cristobal moving away from US, but rip currents likely

MIAMI — Hurricane Cristobal continued to turn to the northeast Tuesday, moving away from the Bahamas and the United States coast, but is still likely to stir up dangerous coastal conditions, the National Hurricane Center said.

“Swells generated by Cristobal are affecting portions of the United States East Coast from central Florida northward to North Carolina … and will spread northward later this week,” the Miami-based forecast office warned, adding that life-threatening surf and rip current conditions were likely.

Cristobal is the third named storm of this year’s Atlantic hurricane season and soaked parts of the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos islands Monday, after drenching Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico over the weekend.

Two people were reported missing due to flooding in Haiti, according to local officials.

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Forecasters this month downgraded their outlook for the 2014 Atlantic hurricane season, predicting below-normal activity with seven to 12 named storms, and no more than two reaching major hurricane status.

A major hurricane is considered to be Category 3 or above with winds hitting at least 111 mph.